The present invention relates to a new antibiotic, Fortimicin B, and a process for the production thereof. More specifically, the present invention pertains to the production of Fortimicin B by culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Micromonospora until antibacterial activity is exhibited in the culture liquor and then isolating Fortimicin B therefrom.
Antibiotics which exhibit activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria are always in demand. To this end, a new species of microorganism has been isolated from the soil of a paddy field located in the suburbs of Hiroshima city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan. This new species, when cultured, produces the new antibiotic, Fortimicin B, which exhibits an antibacterial activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Accordingly, the new antibiotic may be utilized for various purposes and is particularly useful as a surface disinfectant for controlling the population of Staphylococci, Escherichia and other bacteria.